IslamImam al-Sadiq(A.S.):The Great Imam Who Revived

Chapter One

Who were Ahl al- Bayt?
The Holy Book tells us about the Words of Allah, the Great and Almighty, concerning them: "Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O members of the House! and to purify you a (thorough purification)."1 It is a virtue for them. No one of all people has this virtue.
There is no dignity more precious than keeping away uncleanness from them and purifying them from all defects, that is the purifying which the Most kind (Allah) likes for them with His care, and it is not limited to a certain uncleanness or from a certain thing. So, it implies general purifying from every defect and sin.
From this holy verse, we conclude the infallibility of the members of the Prophetic House (ahl al Bayt ), because every sin is uncleanness and committing sins does not agree with their keeping away from them and their purification from them, so, they are, according to this verse purified from uncleanness and sins. is infallibility a thing behind this?
Yes, all importance is in the concerned persons with this virtue which no one of the community had, except them.
Does this virtue concern those who were in the House when the above-mentioned Holy Verse came down or does it concern every one who belonged to the most purified Prophet because of a certain affinity or ancestry? If the second question is accepted, then the reality opposes it, because some of the Prophet's wives disobeyed him, and no uncleanness is greater than this disobedience.
So, certainly his wives are not concerned with this virtue. Also some of those who belonged to the Prophet because of ancestry committed grave sins and crimes, and it is not right that Allah, the Almighty, wants to do a thing by the creation will,2 but the thing does not happen. As it is impossible that Allah wants to create a thing and the thing does not happen, so all the Prophet's wives and all the Hashimites are not included in the foregoing verse, because the women and the Hashimites might commit what conflicts with purification, besides no one has said that all his wives and all the Hashimites were infallible.
And if the intended meaning in the verse was the legal will, then no sense would the will of purification concerning the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ) have because Allah, the Exalted, wants it from all people. As the verse concerns the outstanding merit of Ahl al Bayt, it indicates that the creation will is confined to them. Then the legislation will is related to the acts of creatures, while the verse concerns the act of Allah. Therefore, if the verse was related to the legislation will, He (Allah) would say: "Go and purify yourself."
So, there is no doubt that the concerned persons in the verse are those who have been mentioned in the first question, namely the intended meaning of the verse refers to certain people, and they were those who were in the House of our master Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, where he covered them and himself with his cloak (kisa'). So, the verse was sent down to them and concerning them. They were 'Ali, Fatima, and their sons, peace be on them. Moreover the correct traditions of the two parties (Shi'a and Sunna) affirm that.
And if there was no religious text that denotes that the verse concerns them (ahl al Bayt ), then their behavior would be the greatest evidence for the relation between them and the verse, because their actions and sayings force us to admit their honesty.
This plain truth has been well known for the clear- headed persons since the revelation of this clear verse till today. They certainly know that the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt ) were the people of the cloak (kisa'), who had countless noble qualities of which were purification from defects and taking away uncleanness and sins.
Yes, maybe, some of the Hashimites made use of the general sense of the word (ahl al-Bayt ) to achieve their aims and to reach the throne, so all the Hashimites used this verse to convince people to follow them.
Also the word 'Shi'ism' (tashayy') maybe used to refer to 'Ali and (the members of the) House (ahl al-Bayt ) in the general sense, not the members of the cloak (kisa') and the Imams from the sons of al- Husayn, peace be on them, but the persons whom the floods of the rabble do not deviate them from the truth. People knew that Shi'ism (tashayy') was limited to those certain Imams when silence spread over them after the first one- third of the Abbasid dynasty when the revolts of the Alawids were over.
Our evidence is that the Abbasid were able to destroy the Marwani dynasty and to take the reins of government by using the words (ahl al Bayt ). The Abbasid used these words to make the hearts of Shi'a incline to them and to make them a bridge to build an entity for their authority and to destroy the entity of the Omayyad dynasty that resisted the members of the House ( ahl al Bayt ) and their followers throughout its' days and colored the surface of the ground with their shed blood.
Thus the Abbasids achieved their ambition through the members of the and their the followers House ( ahl al Bayt ). They used them both as a bridge to achieve their goals. Generally speaking they made use of all parties: the Abbasid, the Talibis, the Alawids, the Ja'farids, the 'Aqilis, the Hassanis, and Husaynis.
Then every Hashimite used the same manner to summon people to support his rising. For example, Abd Allah b. Mu'awiya b. Abd Allah b. Ja'far revolted against Abu Muslim In Kufa then in Persia because they had the followers of the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ), but Abu Muslim was able to kill Abd Allah when his followers abandoned him. Besides Zaid and his son, and the two brothers Mohammed and Ibrahim rose to take the authority from the enemies of the members of the House ( ahl al Bayt ).
After that, people realized that the Abbasids did not belong to the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ) because they pulled out the sword of aggression against the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ), who were the kinship of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Moreover, people knew that the Abbasids wanted to achieve their aims when they summoned them to overthrow the Omayyad dynasty under the pretext of avenging the blood of those who were killed in (the Battle of) al-Taf and the crucifixion of Kanasah and Jawzjan and the like.
That was because the Abbasids had built their authority on the skulls of those who loved the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ). In other words, they showed the spite of their chests and their evil inner most thoughts toward ahl al Bayt and their followers. Besides, Mohammed and Ibrahim disappeared when al-Safah took the reins of government because they were aware of his intentions toward the close relatives of the Prophet.
There are many proofs for their pressure against the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ). Inside this book you will read convincing proofs.
Who were the Omayyads?
The Holy Koran clearly says: "And We did not make the vision which We showed you but a trial for men and the cursed tree in the Koran as well." 3
About the cause of the revelation of this verse, the books of interpretation tell us that the Prophet dreamt that he saw some monkeys, meaning the Omayyads, controlling the authority and go up on his pulpit. So, It was the Omayyads who were the cursed tree. Thus the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, did not smile till he died. 4
Apart from this verse, there are many verse that dispraise and slander the Omayyads. See (the Book of) al- Hakim, the tradition about 'Ali in the Words of Allah: "Have you not seen those who have changed Allah's favor for ungratefulness and made their people alight into the abode of perdition." 5
He (al- Hakim) said: "They are the two dissolute (tribes) from QurayshBanu Omayyah (the sons of Omayyah/ the Omayyads) and banu al-Maghirah (the sons of al- Maghirah). (See also) the Tafsir (interpretation) of b. Jarir concerning the Word of Allah: 'And strive hard in (the way of) Allah." 6
He said (b. Jarir): "Surely, those with whom (Allah), the Exalted, ordered (the Muslims) to strive were Makhzum and Omayyah." 7
Then the Truthful Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said as the Glorious Koran did: "Allah, curse all bani Omayyah!" There are similar traditions concerning Abu- Sufyan and his two sons Yazid and Mu'awiya' Do not forget what has been reported from him about Al Abi al-'As especially about al- Hakam and his son Marwan. 8
I (the author) wonder; why does the Clear Book praise the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ) and curse the Omayyads?
Does Allah, the Exalted, praise Ahl al Bayt randomly and curse the Omayyads aggressively? Exalted be Allah from that in high exaltation.
8 The expert in this (subject) does not need references because they are many, and I wanted to understand something of that, so see b. Abi al- Hadeed in the previous foot note (No. 2) and 1/ 361, 2/ 106 and 410, and 4/148. See also al- Isti'ab by b. Abd al-Bir on Marwan, al- Hakim from
Abu- Hurayrah on Al Abi Al'as, Marwan, his father, his sons, and so on.
Yes, surely, it is obedience that approaches mankind to the Creator, and surely, it is disobedience that distances the slave from the Creator; however Allah treats the obedient slave of his slaves with affection, kindness, and mercy, and punishes the disobedient one of them in the same mannerverily He enters the person who obeys Him into Paradise even if he is a Negro from al- Habasha (Abyssina), and enters the person who disobeys Him into Hell even if he is a Sayyid from Quraysh.
The members of the House (ahl al Bayt ) approached the Holy Presence, they feared Him and obeyed His orders, so He (Allah) granted them that most high position of which no human being has, while the Omayyads went far away from the Court of Mercy, they disobeyed Allah, and went on disobeying Him, so He (Allah) has described them as the cursed tree in the Koran, besides the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has cursed them.
And if history has not told us about that degree of obedience which the members of the House (ahl al B ayt) achieved, and the degree of disobedience on which the Omayyads went on, the sanctification from Allah in His Book for the members of the House (ahl al Bayt ) will be enough for us to know their obedience and the disobedience of the Omayyads.
You may understand this conclusion without deep thinking when you read the Koranic texts and the Prophetic traditions. Yes, if you study thoroughly the Omayyad history before Islam and after the end of their dynasty, you will know that Allah, the Almighty, and His Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, have shown in the Book and the Sunna their past history and inward thoughts and told us about the following Omayyads.
Their behavior was not vague for people; nevertheless the Koranic verse and the Prophetic traditions have come to put an end to the pretexts of their friends and to refute the stubbornness of their followers. In spite of these clear verses and traditions, the Omayyads still have friends, followers, and defenders.
To make the hearts sure of this truth, we will mention brief extracts from the reliable history about the practices of the Omayyads.
Abd al- Munaf died and left some sons, of them were Hashim, alMuttalib, Nawfal, and 'Abd al- Shams. Hashim was the cleverest and most meritorious of all his brothers, so Quraysh decided to give him the responsibility of watering and feeding pilgrims, his father Abd al- Munaf, had practiced these two jobs before him, so Hashim was as Quraysh thought; moreover he increased the honor of this father when he decided on two (trading) journeys- the winter journey was to the Yemen; the summer journey was to Sham. The Holy Book (the Koran) has mentioned these two journeys.
Hashim's intention from those two journeys was to increase the money of Quraysh, then they would be able to feed pilgrims. This was a high virtue which Hashim wanted to achieve for his people. And that was the custom of the great men who lead their people to great achievements and an honorable lofty position.
Then he preceded his people in feeding pilgrims to be an example for them. He was open-handed, so pilgrims became rich because of his generosity.
Then his poet said famous lines of poetry. Among them is;
Amru, the very high, broke up the porridge for his people
And the men of Mecca were hungry
'Amru with prestige broke up (hashamma)
Bread for his people
While the people of Mecca were needy and skinny.
For this reason he was called Hashim; this new name replaced his old name "Amru." 9 So, generosity was one of Hashim's virtues that made him master over Quraysh, the masters of Arabs. Then his brothers divided. Al-Muttalib stood by him, while Nawfal stood by Abd al- Shams.
They competed with him and tried to match him with his good traits, but they were unable to achieve that, so Hashim became the matchless master of al- Battha' because of his generous acts and good qualities.
When Abd al-Shams died, Omayyah appeared. Se tried to occupy Hashim's high rank because his father was unable to occupy it before, but there was a great difference between him and Hashim in age and importance. Hashim became a master because he was full of virtues, while Omayyah had nothing to be a master except money and sons; they were not enough to help him to be a master without supreme qualities.
One day Omayyah sought to vie in nobility with Hashim. He accepted that, but we do not know why he was satisfied at that measure while he was the master of al- Battha' and the Shaykh of Quraysh, the only thing we know is that he knew that he would win the round to hinder Omayyah's ambition and to humiliate his ambitious soul, so Hashim won the round and exiled Omayyah out of Medina for ten years. In the meantime Omayyah was satisfied that Hashim would beat him, but he wanted people to honor him when they said that he vied in nobility with Hashim.
When 'Abd al- Muttalib appeared after his father Hashim and his uncle al- Mattalib, he got a higher rank and higher merits than that of his people and his ancestors, so the water of Zamzam gushed out for him, while no one of Quraysh had won this honor before him, so Quraysh felt envy toward him and tried to share in this honor of watering the pilgrims, but he refused, so they asked his priest Hudhayl in Sham to judge him. When they saw his miracles on their way to Sham, they refrained from his trial and gave him Zamzam and the watering of pilgrims.
It was he Hisham who warned Abraha, the leader of the Abyssians and the Emir of the Yemen, when the latter came from the Yemen with great army to destroy the House (the Kaaba) to force the Arabs to visit the House he built in the Yemen. Besides Abd al- Muttalib did not go out of the House as Quraysh did when they escaped because of the power of the Abyssinians, but the end of the Abyssinias was destruction as the Glorious Book has mentioned, 10 so their end happened according to the warning of the master of Al- Abattha.'
For this reason Quraysh felt envy toward Abd al- Muttalib for his miracles, and the owner of the virtue is envied.
Omayyah was dissatisfied with what he had found as a result of his competition with Hashim, so he tried to compete with Abd al- Muttalib. Then Omayyah forced Abd al- Muttalib to compete with him, but Abd al-Muttalib beat him and exiled him for ten years. Also Harb b. Omayyah vied in money and people with Abd al- Muttalib.
He (Omayyah) thought that he would get a high position with these things, not with virtue and good deeds. He tried to compete with Abd alMuttalib for his high rank because of envy and selfadmiration. Al- Nafir was astonished at Harb's competition with Shaykh al- Battha', so he said to him:
Your father is a prostitute- lover and his father is chaste
And drove the elephant away from the Holy country.
This line of poetry denotes that Abd al- Muttalib and his ancestors had two famous qualities; Harb and his ancestors had two famous qualities, too.
So, the prominent figures of Quraysh judged for Abd al- Muttalib in every competition.
Do not forget the Alliance (hilf) of al- Fudool. It was the best alliance Quraysh or all Arabs made to punish the oppressor and support the oppressed. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, entered it before Islam. After that he said about it: "if I was invited to a similar one, I would accept." That was the Alliance with which al- Husayn threatened Mu'awiyah. It looked for the usurping tyrants. How many plundered money and usurped honor it returned.
Al- Zubayr b. Abd al- Muttalib founded the Alliance of al- Fudool. The Nawfalis and the 'Hashimites did not enter it. The person has the right to ask about the reason why these people refrained from entering it: Was it because the Hashimtes founded it Or because it was a supreme virtue Or what?
These are the attitudes of the Omayyads if you digress some of them before the rise of the sun of Islam. Then if you study their attitudes after the rise of the bright sun of Islam, you will be sure that this tree is worthy of revealing that Holy verse, because faith did not enter their hearts, they used every means to put out that bright light, and they did the acts whichjustice and manhood refuse, and honor and virtue hate.
And does any one forget what Abu Sufyan did? He harmed the Prophet before, the Emigration and incited people against him after the Emigration The Battles of Uhid and al- Ahzab (the allies), (the expedition to) al-Hudaybiyya and similar events, which history has immortalized, tell you about his attitude (toward the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family).
He (Abu sufyan) and the Omayyads, the Hashimtes, were the owners of the caravans (of camels) and the parties. How does the son of Islam forget those events while history always reminds him of them? Abu sufyan and his son Mu'awyyah did not enter Islam till it seized them by the neck, and they found no escape from it. After the Conquest (al- fatth), the Wise Prophet habituated them (to Islam) with plentiful giving from the booty (of the Battle of) Hunayn, so greed helped fear with that affection, but their hearts were still containing ancient paganism, envy, spite. They did their best to seize the opportunity to declare mutiny to take the heritage of the children and the uncles and the grand- fathers, whosejugular veins the sharp swords of Islam cut.
Nevertheless, Abu Sufyan was not able to keep those psychological spites, so they appeared in the slips of his tongue, and most of them appeared during the days of 'Uthman, 11 because he (Abu sufyan) felt that he was safe of punishment, and whoever feels safe of punishment misbehaves. Of course, he felt safe because the authority was in the hands of his boys as he said when he kicked the tomb of Hamzah b. Abd al- Muttalib with his foot. 12
As for his son Mu'awiya, when he knew that Islam spread, its roots entwined, and its branches were high, he used it as a means to uproot it. Mu'awyyah controlled the country while Islam was still fresh and new, so he broke all its laws and opposed all its rules, but he did not apparently take off the noose of Islam. Of course, he did not take it off because it was the means that helped him to obtain that wide supreme authority; the authority which neither Sakhar b. Harb nor Omayyah had dreamt about before. No harm him because of that phenomenon because the pretext was to hit get his vast ambitions and to destroy the lofty bases of Islam.
12 about Ma'awyyiah Many traditions has been reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. For example, "Am'mar, the oppressive group will kill you in Siffin."
Al- Syyuti has regarded this tradition as ensured by many lines of transmission. And "Verily, 'Ali will wage ware against the mutineers (al- Qasitin), and they will be Mu'awiya and his soldiers." See also the following volumes of Sharh al- Nahj: 1/347, 463, 372, 361, 355, 373, and 113, 2/102 and 363, 3/443 and 463 and 15, 4/192.
See also Al- Isti'ab about Mu'awiya.
It is sufficient that Mu'awiya waged war against the Master of prophets when he waged war against the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin), peace be on him, about whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "Your peace is my peace and your war is my war."13 "After me, you will wage war against the oath breakers of allegiance (al- Nakithin), the unjust (al- Qasitin), and the Renegades (al-Mariqin).14 If Mu'awiya waged war against Abu al- Hasan ( Imam 'Ali), peace be on him, to punish those who killed 'Uthman, then why did he forgive them when he became caliph? I (the author) do not know why Mu'awiyah was the guardian of 'Uthman while al- Murtada (Imam 'Ali) was the Commander of the Faithful and their Guardian.
By Allah, the aim of Mu'awiya, was not so vague that we should produce evidence for it. If he was not an enemy for Islam and its Prophet, he would not have sharpened the blade to destroy the family of the Prophet while the Koran has summoned Muslims to love and respect them, and the Prophet has also summoned Muslims to support and cleave to them They (ahl al Bayt ) committed no crime against Mu'awiya but because they were the family of the Prophet, and the caretakers of the religion and its propagandists. If he (Mu'awiya) had shaken hands with them and forgiven them, he would have not obtained the authority for which he waged war against the Prophet and his law. 15
Before Mu'awiyah perished, he felt that he did not achieve his desires through waging war against the Prophet and his message, so he authorized his son Yazid to fulfill them after his death, but Yazid had not the cunning of his father, namely he was not able to put poison into honey to plot against Islam, then his intentions clearly appeared on the pages of his acts As soon as he became Caliph, he began attacking al- Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet the master of the young men of Paradise. Also he began attacking the family of the Prophet, the best of all men in righteousness and virtue.
Then he did what he wished in the country of Emigration (Dar al-Hijra) and against the rest of the companions (of the Prophet). The religion, manhood, and chastity did not prevent him from doing that. Moreover, he ordered his fighters to siege the sacred House (the Kaaba) and throw stones at it in the manner that killed its inhabitants and archers.
13 Musnad Ahmmad b. Hambal: 2/442 and Asad al- Ghabah: 3/11.
14 Ma'ani al- Akhbar, 204. Sunan b. Majah, 8, 3950.
15 Sharh al- Nahj 1/463. Muruj al- Dhahab: 1/341.
In these two books, there are reports denote that al- Maghirab. Shu'ba regarded Mu'awiya as disbelieve
while he himself was a disbeliever, then how was Mu'awiya? Woe to whom al- Namrud regarded as disbeliever.
Which family defended Islam and protected its achievements more then al- Husayn and his family? Which country followed Islam more than (the country of) the two Holy Mosques (al- Haramayn)? Did b. Maysun (the son of Maysun) leave anything to wage war against Islam, the Prophet- may Allah bless him and his family, and his companions? If we try to count the acts of the Omayyads, with which they resisted Islam and its truthful Owner, we will not be able to because they are many, meanwhile we will be out of our purpose.
Yes, there is no harm when we mention extracts to which al- Maqrizi, the Owner of the plans, has referred in his study 'Al-Niza' Wa al- Takhasum' and al- Jahiz in his study in which he has given an example about the boasting between the Omayyads and the Hashimtes, some of what they have mentioned is as follow: "Indeed, bani Omayya (the sons of Omayya/ the Omayyads) stamped the necks of the companions and dappled the hands of Muslims as a mark to enslave them, made the Prophet below the Caliph, had sexual intercourse with Muslim women in Muslim countries (Dar al- Islam), delayed the prayer pretending to be busy delivering a sermon, ate and drank on the pulpit of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. 16
This is some of the forbidden things and breaking of the Islamic law which the above- mentioned authors have written. I wonder; were they not aware of the religion and its punishments and its regulations and its entries?
It is sufficient for them that they waged violent war against the Prophet's mission. Furthermore, they regarded the mission as a supreme authority with which the Hashimites played. They made the Book a target for their arrows.
They did their best to transfer the ritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, then to the mosque which they built in Damascus. And they used mangonels to throw stones at the Sacred House (the Kaaba).
Do not ask about what the pure family of the Prophet faced, starting from the crucified persons of Kanasa and Jozjan, namely Zaid and his son Yahya, to the persons killed with poison, such as al- Hasan, al- Sajad, al-Baqir, peace be on them, Abu Hashim b. al- Hanafiyyah, Ibrahim b. Mohammed- the brother of al- Saffah-, and the like. That is except those who were made homeless in the horizons, and those who were hidden in the prisons.
'Amr b. Abd al- Aziz was the best of the Omayyads.
He knew that people hated his family. So, he tried to change their opinions about them.
No wonder'. People accepted the government of the Omayyads because 'birds of a feather flock together.' Surely, the religion has ordered people to conform to piety secretly and openly, just behavior towards close relatives and the common people, refraining from hidden and open lewdness, abstaining from aggression during satisfaction and anger. How far people still are from what the religion commands! 17
In other words, the person who follow his self- (most surely (man's) self wants to command (him to do) evil)- is not able to follow the religion even if it prevents him from the ways of appetites and forbids him from oppression and aggression. If people had wanted guidance, the guardians would have not hidden the masters of justice and truth and faith and truthfulness, and those guardians would have accepted nothing from them but these noble manners. Indeed, people go far away from these Alawid virtues as the wild animal goes far away from the angels and as the earth is for from the stars of the sky.
If you study the conditions of people thoroughly, you will be sure of these Prophetic words:
"However you are, (a governor) is appointed over you." 18
Does the scholar accept the ignorant person to rule him? Does the just person accept the corrupt person to lead him?
The guardians of ignorance and oppression and corruption found that their matches supported them and kept silent for their acts, so their selves followed desires and appetites. In the meantime, their selves sought to lower the dignity of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, declare war on his mission, and waged war against his family.
Studying the selves and acts of those people thoroughly show you faithlessness and treason and partiality for misguidance against guidance, for falsehood against the truth. Also you are about to wonder how the religion and the great figures of guidance has not become obliterated yet as long as the supporters of the truth are very few every where and everytime.
"And very few of my servants are grateful." 19
Where do you disappear from this truth, while one look at our present time shows you how the competition between the truth and falsehood take place, and how the second (falsehood) and its supporters has overcome the first (the truth)? No wonder, but the wonder is that the masters of the truth sometimes obtain victory, and falsehood is abandoned. If Abu al- Hasan (Imam 'Ali) and al- Hasan had obtained victory over Mu'awyya, and al-Husayn over Yazid, then it would have been something new in history.
For the victory of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, after those bloody battles was to prove this verse: "That he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof." 20 If the unbelief overcame Islam, its light was not completed, and the proof was not established.
Indeed, the Trusty Prophet brought all men virtues, happiness, and good manners. Still, they hindered him his mission though his mission was for their good and happiness. They refused those virtues because they did not match their behavior and inward thoughts like other people in every time.
Moreover, they accepted that happiness when the sword came over their heads and the whip hit their noses. Nevertheless, they quickly turned back upon their heels when the Prophet passed away retreating from the laws of the religion when they found escape to that: "And Mohammed is no more than an apostle; the apostles have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least; and Allah will reward the grateful." 21
But there were great figures among the Omayyads. Their hearts were full of belief. They stood by the truth against falsehood. No wonder, because Allah, the Exalted, says: "He brings forth the living from the dead." 22 There is no doubt that the curse does not include them because the Holy Book says: "O you who believe! take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the way." 23 "And no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another." 24
"Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against it." 25
"There is no way (to blame) against the doers of good." 26
BANU AL- 'ABAS (THE ABASIDS)
The oppression of the Omayyads included all men. It was not confined to the righteous nor to the family of the Chosen Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Finally the people of evil hated them as the people of good did. Namely, one group wept for its religion and the other wept for its life in this world. Generally speaking, people sought escape to get rid of their oppression and rule.
The Omayyads threatened all the country of Islam with the people of Sham (Syria) because they were their obedient soldiers who did not deviate from their opinion and did not disobey their orders. With the Omayyads and the people of Sham, Mu'awyya was able to dominate Egypt, Iraq, and al- Hijaz though al- Hijaz and Iraq had men of opinion and bravery, whose division was an ampilion for the people of Sham, who wanted to add them to their side. Bin Zyyad moved the people of Kufa against the grandson of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, with the people of Sham by giving money. Abd Al- Malik took Iraq and al- Hijaz from al- Zubair with those soldiers, too. Generally speaking, the people of Sham thought that the Omayyads were worthy of the Caliphate and obedience while they were dominating the vast country.
When the Omayyads divided and began fighting each other, the people of Sham divided, too. Their word disunited according to the disunity of the world of their leader, who misled them and went astray through them.
When the world of the Omayyads divided, some people were ambitious to take their supreme authority and country, but no one was able to declare his ambitions because Sham filled their hearts with terror.
In the meantime, men still remembered their cruelty, their oppression, and their soldiers. Men did not forget the Battle of Karbala, at which the Omayyads showed various kinds of cruelty, and the Battle of al- Hurra, at which the Omayyads showed various mean acts and immorality, violated the forbidden, and shed innocent blood. Men were still remembering that the House (the Kaaba) was first besieged by Yazid, and then by Abd alMalik, who used mangonels to throw stones at it and set fire to it, so they demolished it. Also, men were remembering that the Omayyads killed and burnt Zayd, killed Yahya, and committed crimes paying no attention to the forbidden. So, it was as if people, the expensive, honor, and dignity were a bait for them, and a way for their desires. Then, during those conditions, how could a person declare his enmity for the Omayyads or plan to overthrow their dynasty?
Yes, men thought that there was no person able to take the crowns from them and deprive them of their authority but the Hashimites, because they were the masters of that throne, whether Caliphate was with the text or blood relationship or the outstanding merit Thus, men began secretly asking and urging them to rise.
There were many great figures among the Hashimites, who were proper for leadership and good at management and policy. Did the master of caliphate and son of Imamate, Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far b. Mohammed al-Sadiq, peace be on them, lead them to revolt, or Abd Allah b. Hasan, the best and Shaykh of bani (sons) of al- Hasan, or his brother, who refused oppression, or Ibrahim b. Mohammed, the Abbasid, or his two brothers al-Saffah and al- Mansur, the masters of zeal and determination, or Abd Allah b. Mu'awiya, whose noble qualities made him worthy of that position, or the like? If any of them had nominated himself for leadership, he would have adorned it with his noble traits.
But, if al- Sadiq, peace be on him, had nominated himself for leadership, then no one would have matched him for that, because of his outstanding merit and his many followers, but he opposed and did not answer those who urged him to rise.
As the Imam disappointed them, they tried to find another figure. Sometimes they appointed Mohammed b. 'Abd Allah b. al- Hasan, sometimes Abu Muslim propagated for the Abbasids in Khurasan, sometimes Abu Salama al- Khallal propagated for al- Rida, from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, in Kufa, and sometimes b. Ja'far revolted in Kufa but did not accomplish his aim, then he appeared in Persia but did not achieve his aim, too. So, he escaped and went to Abu Muslim in Khurasan, but he was like the person who seeks protection with swelter from fire, because his death was from him. Not long passed after those disorderly conditions, the Abbasids were able to control authority.
It was the fate that decided the matter and put it in the hands of al-Saffah and al- Mansur, who were moving in the district telling people about the outstanding merits of Abu al- Hasan ( Imam 'Ali) to incline their hearts, who appointed the son of al- Hasan on the day of their meeting in al-Abwa' without hesitation to obtain the rule, who were under the standard of b. Ja'far and among of his soldiers when he appeared in Persia. Now, they (the Abbasids) took the reins of government and dismissed the Omayyads from their thrones. No one thought that Abu Muslim, their propagandist, killed b. Ja'far, the leader of the revolt, while they were nothing but his soldiers. No one thought that al- Mansur with his sword killed b. al- Hasan and his brother Ibrahim whom people appointed caliphs and decided to defend till death.
The fates helped, no one overcomes fate, the Abbasid to sit in the throne and the Omayyads to be bygone. So, no regret for the bygone, and no happiness for the coming dynasty. A corrupt dynasty had gone away, and an oppressive dynasty followed it.
Al- Saffah became Caliph, So the world laughed with him after frowning and came to him after turning away, but is the person, even if he possesses all the world, safe from the misfortunes of worry? Bin Abbass became between two worries. The first worry was to purify the nation from the Omayyads, and the second was the worry of competition with Imam 'Ali's sons for the throne.
The throne whose legs and bases were not stable. So, his throne quickly swung as the revolts began here and there. After he had gotten rid of his first worry, his second worry began. Of course, he was not safe from the Alawids because a part of this nation and many of their soldiers with whom they overthrew the thrones of bani (sons) Marwan regarded the obedience of Abu Abd Allah al- Sadiq, peace be on him, as a must, and they killed Abu Salama al- Khallal because they felt that he wanted to appoint bani (sons) 'Ali as caliph. Then al- Saffah was appointed caliph when he overcame him, namely he took the caliphate quickly.
Also, he was not safe from the Alawids because people acknowledged Mohammed b. al- Hasan leader on the day of al- Abwa', al- Saffah and alMansur shook hands with him, and he was worthy of the throne which they sat in. Meanwhile, those hopes were still sounding in his mind, then why did he disappear when al- Saffah came to power? Didn't the lion kneel down to get ready to jump?
Bin 'Abbas tried to get rid of that worry, so he sent some men to bring al- Sadiq to al- Hira to watch him attentively, though he did nothing against their authority. When al-Sadiq arrived at al- Hira, b. 'Abbas kept an eye on him, but when he found nothing to be afraid of, he released him. So, al- Sadiq came back to Medina while suspicions troubled him.
Then he tried to capture the two sons of Abd Allah b. al- Hasan, who were in a hiding- place because they were afraid of his cruelty. The more he tried to find them, the more they disappeared.
The short role of al- Saffah ended, while al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was limited in Medina and the sons of al- Hasan were in their hiding- place. When the days of al- Mansur came, he treated the Alawids with cruelty. He did not leave al- Sadiq resident at the city of Emigration, rather he sent for him frequently, mistreated and tried to kill him every time. He went on mistreating him till he killed him with poison.
Al- Mansur used all means to capture Mohammed and Ibrahim- some times, he declared safety for them, and some times treated father and the sons of al- Hasan cruelly, but these means did not help him to reach and find them. Then he brought the sons of al- Hasan to Iraq and left them in dark prisons, so most of them faced ugly death, but Mohammed surprised him when he revolted in Medina and Basrah. That was the thing which he guard against, used all means to hinder, and afraid of, but fate overcame him.
Banu (the sons) of al- 'Abbass ruled, so their deception and disloyalty appeared. They paid homage to the son of al- Hasan, then they spared no effort to capture and kill him and his brother. Ibin (the son of) 'Abbass tried to shake hands with them in peace, but they refused because their selves had refusal, honor, and hopes which men supported to urge them to revolt.
Even if their revolutionary selves subsided, men moved them to revolt against al- Mansur They still had such revolutionary souls until they revolted against him after that long disappearance.
Bani (the sons of) al- 'Abbass not only acted treacherously toward the bani (sons of) al- Hasan during their rule, but also al- Mansur betrayed Abu- Muslim, the builder of the entity of their dynasty, killed Abu- Salama al- Khallal, imprisoned Ya'qub b Dawud, killed al- Fadl b. Sahl, and the like. Also they tried to kill the two ministers- 'Ali b. Yaqtin and Ja'far b. Mohammed al- Ash'ath.
Also, al- Mansur betrayed 'Isa b. Musa, his crown prince He dismissed him and appointed his son al- Mahdi instead. Al- Mansur had made 'Isa crown prince because the latter distinguished himself in battle with Mohammed and Ibrahim, so that he was able to kill them and destroy their revolt that made al- Mansur worried and think that his rule would perish.
Al- Rashid betrayed his Barmaki ministers and the Hasani Yahya after giving. them safety. Al- Amin betrayed his brother Al- Ma'mun when he dismissed him form the Crown. Al- Ma'mun appointed Imam Rida, peace be on him, then he killed him with poison.
But their greatest disloyalty was that against the sons of al- Husayn, peace be on him. The followers of the sons of 'Ali were the soldiers of the sons of al- 'Abbas. As we have mentioned earlier, they helped them to remove the dynasty of the sons of Marwan, and their slogan was to revenge the blood of the members of the House ( ahl al- Bayt ). No one but the Talibiyyin were killed with the swords of the Omayyads, no one but the Alawids were treated cruelly by the Omayyads. If other than they from the Hashimites. met some cruel treatment, it certainly was not like that treatment the family of Abu- Talib suffered.
The Abbassids summoned people to revenge (the blood of al- Husayn and his family), rather people summoned them (the Abbassids) to that. This was the strongest means to obtain their ambitions. After they had controlled authority, they began chasing the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. It was as if the family of the Prophet committed those horrid crimes at the Battle of Karbala, captured the Prophetic Women, and killed Zayd and Yahya, and the like!
It was as if they killed and the captives were from the sons of al- Abbass and the criminals were the Alawids! And it was as if the Alawids did not move people to avenge (the blood of al- Husayn and his family) and take their heritage!
When the events resulted in dismissing the Omayyads, the members of the House were the victims of those events, namely the Abbassids did not have mercy on them as a reward for their struggle against the Omayyads, besides the Abbassids took the reins of that vast authority from them.
Thus everything was clear when the Abbassids took the reins of government. Men did not forget those crimes the Omayyads committed against the members of the House. The Abbassids committed crime after crime against them without mercy. Consequently, why did all that happen?
Why were the members of the House (ahl al- Bayt ) no others than they, a house for misfortunes? We will look for the reason in the following chapter.
WHAT WAS THE CRIME OF AHL AL- BAYT?
The Glorious Koran has mentioned many verses about ahl al- Bayt (the members of the House).
It has ordered men to love them. It has told them about their purity. It has urged men to cleave to them. It has urged them to obey them. It has declared that they have the most outstanding merit and position.
Throughout his lifetime, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, followed the Holy Koran showing that his family gathered outstanding merits and glorious traits that sometimes impose their obedience and following on men and sometimes bind men to love them and sometimes make the hearts and selves of men incline toward them, and so on. 27
That was for the happiness of men themselves to take the religion from its people and knowledge from its origin. So, it is a must on people to respect them, cleave to them, and refrain from other than they.
Ahl al Bayt (I.e. 'Ali, al- Zahra', their two sons, and al- Husayn's sons, peace be on them.) were a prototype for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, in all his outstanding merits and traits.
So, whoever wants the knowledge of the Prophet, they are the gate of his city, whoever wants his utterance they are the aspect of his eloquence, whoever wants his good manners finds examples from his behavior, whoever wants his religion finds them the lamps of his law, whoever wants his asceticism finds in them his method, whoever wants to obey his family they are the chosen of his progeny, and whoever wants to look at him, they are the beauty of his face. These were the outstanding merits of ahl al- Bayt in comparison with those of the Owner of the Bayt (House), this is some of what they were an example for his Holy Character, may Allah bless him and his family.
Whoever has a relation with Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, can continue this relation through them, or is at enmity with Islam they are a righteous number for it, or is at objection with the religion they are the strongest shield, or is at war with the right, or follows the wrong but they are the enemies of the wrong.
When good was mentioned, they were the guides for it, or charity began, they were the standard for it, or justice was spread, they were the friends of it, or men went into glorious deeds, they went deeper into it, or the people of boasting competed to win noble deeds, they were more than them in round, and if they vied in nobility, the stop would be with them, so every virtue begins from them amid to them it belongs.
As the members of the House (ahl al- Bayt )were as we have mentioned, Banu Omayya (the Omayyads) adopted a hostile, stubborn attitude towards them. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, killed many people from them for Allah, so they felt that it was time to take their revenge on ahl al- Bayt.
If they had shut their eyes to the protectors of Islam and the propagandists of the religion, then the Prophet would have come with his mission, it was as if that he and his memory had not died, Islam and its laws and its regulation would have taken place as Allah, the Exalted, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family wanted. If they had taken a neutral attitude towards them, men would have known the outstanding merit of ahl al Bayt and their right would have appeared for the world, no means would have stayed with the Omayyads who went up on the pulpits of Islam and no pretext to dominate the Muslim homeland and enslave people.
The Omayyads were still showing and hiding their enmity for the most pure Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, there would have been no heresies if their attitudes for the family of the mission were good, and if they had been contrary to what the days knew from them, that would have been innovation in their natures and manners.
As for Banu al- 'Abbass (the Abbassids), when they ruled (Muslims), and crossed the bridge to achieve their ambitions, the bridge which they built on the shoulders of Shi'a, and made its pillars of the skulls of those simple people, knew that if the situation became calm, people would ask them about the truth and its position and the caliphate and its people, because they stood by them to destroy the thrones of the Omayyads, revenge the holy blood which was shed without crime, and found the Caliphate of al- Rida, who belonged to the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. Meanwhile they did not rise and resisted (the Omayyads) to appoint Banu al- 'Abbass (the 'Abbassids) in place of Banu 'Ali (the 'Alawids).
So, the 'Abbassids decided to kill those men who paved the way for them to sit in the throne of authority, such as Abu Salama al- Khallal and the like, because they were afraid of that examination. Also, they decided to limit Banu 'Ali and watch and spy on them, because they were afraid of those trends which were on their minds, or for which men urged them. Moreover, they decided to muzzle the Shi'a with terrorism because they were afraid of that question and punishment. So, the crime of Banu 'Ali with them was because they were people of right, and the people of homage and caliphate whether through the family relationship or textual nomination or outstanding merit.
There was nothing summoning the Abbassids to inflict blows against the Alawids but because they were worthier of the Caliphate than they, had a lofty position among people, and had great figures whom the hearts desired. So, the Abbassids tried to put down the dignity of the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and kill those great figures under the pretext of inclining the hearts towards them. They tried to kill them to prevent the Shi'a of ahl al- Bayt from forming the power ahl al-Bayt used to revolt against them.
The difference between the Omayyads and the Abbasids is as follows: The Omayyads waged war against the Hashimites for two things- to get revenge for themselves for the Prophet and take the leadership, while the 'Abbasids waged war against them to obtain the thrones and protect them only, namely they did not intend to wage war against the Prophet and his mission though their war against the mission and its propagandists.
If you take a quick look at what ahl al- Bayt suffered because of their outstanding merits, you will know how men wage war against religion and how they get used to the love of this world and it allies, and you will know that the Abbassids took the same course as the Omayyads did though the latter waged war against ahl al- Bayt more then the former.
(At the Battle of) Karbala, Banu Omayya killed al- Husayn b. 'Ali, peace be on them, a pure choice of his family, and a righteous choice of his Companions when they committed a forbidden act, namely they played with the religion according to their desires, and the Abbassids killed 'Ali b. al- Husayn and matchless figures of the 'Alawids through a trap when they committed forbidden acts with which they angered the religion and its people.
Banu Omayya poisoned three Imams: al- Hasan, al-Sajjad, and al- Baqir, peace be on them, and banu al- 'Abbass poisoned six Imams: al- Sadiq, alKazim, al- Rida, al- Jawad, al- Hadi, and al- 'Askari, peace be on them.
Hisham b. Abd al- Malik sent for al- Baqir and al- Sadiq, peace be on them, (to go) to Sham to mistreat them. When they arrived in Sham, he found that he had no choice but to honor and send them to Medina because he worried that people might be charmed by them, while banu al- 'Abbass did not leave any Imam to live in his house: Al- Saffah sent for al- Sadiq; al- Mansur sent for him several times, too; al- Rashid sent for al- Kazim, imprisoned him, then released him. Not long after, he sent for him again and imprisoned him. He was in prison till he was killed with poison and do not ask about what he committed against him and the words he said to summon people to come together to the bridge.
Al- Ma'mun sent for al- Rida (to go) to Tus. Al- Rida did not come back home, rather he was killed with poison, in Khurasan. Al- Ma'mun also sent for al- Jawad but released him without mistreatment. When al- Mu'tasim took the reins of authority, he sent for Abu- Ja'far al- Jawad, peace be on him, and imprisoned him. When he released him from prison, he ma.de a plan to kill him with poison. Al- Mutawakil sent for Abu al- Hasan alHadi, peace be on him, and, went on putting down his dignity till he perished. Al- Hadi was liable to various kinds of mistreatment by the Abbassid kings. He was sometimes imprisoned, and sometimes released, then al- Mu'taz poisoned him. His son Abu Mohammed al- Hasan, peace be on him, stayed at Samara'. They did not allow him to go back to Medina nor did they allow him live in his house, rather they sometimes imprisoned him and sometimes released him till al- Mu'tamid killed him with poison.
When al- Mu'tamid knew al- Hadi had a son called Abu al- Qasim aged five years, he began looking for him to kill him, but he (Abu al- Qasim) had disappeared because of their oppression and assassinations (since then) till today.
The Omayyads destroyed a group of the Alawids with poison, imprisonment, assassination, and hanging. Among them were Zaid, Yahya, and the like on the day (of the Battle) of al- Hura. Besides, they killed Abd Allah b. Mohammed b. al- Hanafiyya, and others. The Abbassids killed a large number at Fakh and in their prisons. Moreover, every Abbassid ruler who sat on the throne killed a group of the Alawids.
Because of the oppression of the Omayyads, many Alawids fled, such as Yahya, Abd Allah al- Ja'fari, and the like. Because of the persecution of the Abbassids, many Alawids- like al- Qasim and Ahmad the two sons of Imam al- Kazim, peace be on him, Isa b. Zaid, and the like- fled to far countries, such as India and Iran. Many of the Alawi'ds did not declare their ancestry because they were afraid of the Abbasid governors.
If the Omayyads betrayed some of the Alawids and killed them with poison, then do not ask about those whom the Abbassids betrayed (i.e. they were many).
If you run over (the book) 'Maqatil al- Talibiyyin', you will know what banu al- 'Abbas committed against them.
The Omayyads burnt the tents of the sons of the mission on the day of (the Battle of) Karbala, and the Abbasids burnt the house of Imam al- Sadiq though he and his family were in it. Al- Sadiq went out to put out the fir, but some of it entered the corridor.
The Omayyads deprived the daughters of the m ission of their (ornaments) at (the Battle) of Karbala, also al- Rashid sent his leader alJaludy to Medina to deprive the Talibiyyat (Talibid women) of their ornaments.
Al- Jaludy was harder than a rock in carrying out his want so that he took all the ornaments of the Alawid and the Talibid women.
When Zayd was killed, Hisham banished all Alawids from Iraq to Medina and asked them to bring guarantees so as not to go out of it.
Also Musa al- Hady banished all Alawids and their children from Medina to Baghdad after the event of Fakh.
They met him, and their face became yellow because of the terrorism, tiredness, and accidents they suffered from.
If we want to make a comparison between the abusive actions of the two dynasties towards ahl al Bayt, we will find that the Abbasids committed actions the Omayyads had not committed before. For example, al- Rashid and al- Mansur buried some of the Alawids in side the walls of the buildings in Baghdad.
Al- Rshid cut down the tree that was by the tomb of al- Husayn. Those who visited his tomb shaded themselves under that tree. Al- Mutawakil demolished his tomb. Also he demolished the buildings and the houses around it Moreover, he plowed and planted the land of Karbala to remove the tomb and wipe out its remains. For this reason the poet said
By Allah, the Ommayyads, committed the killing of the son of the daughter of their prophet.
While he was wronged.
The children of their father committed something like it
So, by your life, his grave became demolished.
They felt sadness that they did not take part in his killing, so, they followed him while he is dead.
The days of banu Omayya were one thousand months. During those days, they killed the prototypes of the Alawids. If you count from the beginning of the days of banu al- 'Abbass to one thousand months, you will know that the Abbassids killed the doubles of those whom the Omayyads killed. They killed them while they knew their outstanding merit and their blood relation. Musa b. 'Is[ who waged war against the people of Fakh, said about al- Husayn, the owner of Fakh, and his companions: "By Allah, they are the noblest of Allah's creatures; they are worthier of what is in our hands than us. hut the authority is barren, if the owner of this grave, namely the Prophet may Allah bless him and his family, disputed with us for authority, we would hit his nose with the sword."28
This bold guilty (person) admitted his crime, but he did not mention the truth thoroughly, because the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and the choice of his family did not request it for religion, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, and removing heresies and misguidance.
If they requested authority for authority, we would not shower the Omayyads and the Abbasids with the arrows of blame, then is it right to blame the person who overcomes his rival when they dispute each other for authority?
Do you think that al- Husayn with his rise, Zayd with his revolt, Yahya with his jihad, and al- Husayn in Fakh with his defense, and the like of the Talibis with religion and intellect, sacrifice their selves and the valuable for authority?
Why did they request a mere life in this world while they were the propagandists of religion, the leaders of right guidance, and the lamps of mind? Why did they request authority while they knew that their power was not enough to obtain victory? Yes, they sacrificed those valuable selves and the respected because they knew that religion was more valuable than their selves. Whoever finds the cost expensive, sale is easy for him. Besides, people understood the plain truth and certain religion, and the truth overcame the falsehood through plea and proof after those sacrifices.
The Battle of Karbala and the sacrifices of the Alawids were examples for the masters of religion and teachings for the men of truth during the competition between guidance and misguidance and truth and falsehood, and left no reason for the propagandists of religion to refrain from sacrificing themselves for supporting them. Through their acts, they taught them that victory is obtained with sacrifice, life is achieved with death, and those experiences were done to prevent people from advancing feebleness as an excuse, because victory is not for an urgent victory.
In other words, the day of al- Husayn and the days of the Alawids were the days of victories for their enemies. Still, afterward, men realized that victory was for those revolutionary Alawi'ds who had spared no effort for religion, and the defeat in life and religion were for their enemies who were victorious then.
Through those events, the world understands the religion and jihad which ahl al Bayt adopted to enliven the Muslim Law, and the reason why their enemies waged those war against them. Then the intentions of the two parties have became clear. other wise (we have the right to ask): What was the crime of that suckling baby whose milk dried and whose lips faded because of thirst? Why did they kill him with an arrow while he was on the chest of his father? Why did that arrow make him flickering like the slaughtered bird? Why did they kill those innocent children while they did not take part at that battle?
What was the crime that led the Omayyads to rob the women of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, (i.e. his grandsons), of their (possessions)? Why did they force them to ride thin (camels) while they were hitting and abusing them? Why were they moved from one country to another as the slaves were moved?
If al- Husayn and his family waged war against the Omayyads for authority, then there was no need to make their horses tread on his body, no need to raise his head on the spear, and no need to capture his family and force them to ride thin camels. I wonder; is cutting the heads off, breaking the chests and the backs with the hooves of the horses, robbing the bodies (of their clothes), leaving them naked in the open without burying, and taking the women as prisoners, the ambition of a person who revolts (against the ruling regime) for property and authority?
The thing that throws salt in the injuries, harms the ulcer, and increases the misfortune, is that the people did not commit those ugly crimes against al- Husayn and his family because they were ignorant about his position or they thought that he deviated from religion, rather they knew that he was the owner of religion, the master of the caliphate, the master of the young men of Paradise, and the basil of the Prophet. Moreover, they knew his outstanding merits.
Not only they knew al- Husayn, peace be on him, but also his family and companions, such as Yahya, Zayd, and the people of Fakh, who were liable to the sword, poison, prison, and oppression.
Consequently, there would be no heresies if the world clearly understood those known attitudes to know that the battle between ahl al Bayt and their enemies was a battle between the virtue and the vice, and those who wanted to get the thrones were not able to get them but by waging war against ahl al Bayt to wipe them out of existence because they thought that they would not be able to achieve their ambitions while ahl al Bayt had a standing ghost and shade people sit in. Therefor, the crime of ahl al Bayt towards those people was that they were the people of religion and the masters of outstanding merits. so men were not able to sit in the thrones of the Caliphate while ahl al Bayt were the most qualified for it. The nation knew their position among the children of Islam.
THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS AND SECTS
The days of Abu Abd Allah al- Sadiq, peace be on him, were the days of religious schools, sects, ideas, desires, theology, research, misguidance, suspicion, and doubts. Now, we will mention the origin of those groupings and schools in a brief manner, following the methods that we have adopted in this book because the enlargement upon the research will take us out of the plan of the book, and in the books on the religious schools and sects are many details.
The Origin of the Islamic Groupings:
Indeed, the Muslim nation divided into seventy- three groupings. That was what our Truthful Trusty Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "My nation will divide into seventy- three groupings." 29
In this chapter, we want to study the well- known groupings in the time of al- Sadiq. We will devote our research to the origins of those groupings. We may refer to sub- groupings after we have mentioned the origins. Of course, this will suit our purpose and plan.
All Muslim sects belong (30) to four groupings: the Murjeia, the Mu'tazila, the Shi'a, and the Kharijites. So every Muslim sect belongs to one of these origins. Also al- Ghulat, though the other sects have regarded them as unbelievers, is a subdivision of the above mentioned origins. These four origins are as follow:
1. The Murjeia:
We may say: Indeed, the Murjeia means today the Ash'aris only, and they are the sunnis in general according to the belief in this time, because there is no one who follows the school of the Mu'tazila in these times.
Before al- Ash'ary, the Murjeia were many sects, and those sets were subdivisions of the Sunnis equivalent to the Shi'a and the Kharijites. But when al- Ash'ry's school of thought appeared, the Murjeia became another title for the Sunnis or for al- Ash'ry's school in general. In (his book) al-Milal and al- Nihal, al- Shahristany said: "And it is said (that) al- Irja' (delaying) (means) the delaying of 'Ali, peace be on him, from the first degree to the fourth (degree)." As you see, this is the thought of the Sunnis in general.
It is not our purpose to research the gathering of these names in the Schools of al- Ash'ary or their departing from, rather our first purpose is to know the situation of al- Murjeia on that day. There is no doubt that the Murjeia in that time were sets and schools. They were gathered together by their opinion that said: it is enough (to show) faith with words even if there is no act, and even if the person who claims belief commits every atrocity still he is a believer and follows the faith of Jibra'il and Mika'il, and they delayed forgiveness for those who commit great sins. maybe, they were called the Murjeia for this reason or because Allah has delayed their punishment. (it is derived from the word al- irja' meaning delay) or because they delayed 'Ali, peace be on him, from the first degree to the fourth degree as al- Shahristany has mentioned.
What we have mentioned is the common idea among the groups of the Murjeia. This what the books of the two parties have reported, which has mentioned the meeting of the parties and departing of the religious sects.
Were Abu Hanifa and his fellower from the Masiryya Murjeia,31 who lived in Iraq? Were al- Shafi'y, Malik b. Anas, b. Abu Layla, Shurayk b. Abd Allah, and their fellower from the Murjeia who were called al-Shukkak or al- Batariya, and they were the people of al- Hashu and the great majority who were called al- Hashawiya?
We can not decide this, because the books of the sects are different about that ancestry. Also they did not depend on reliable references that may help us to understand the correct viewpoints. Besides the fanaticism of those authors for their sects and schools made the other sect a goal for them. Moreover, the men of the secular authorities in those times helped this crime to happen, because they propagated a sect and waged war against the other. To achieve this purpose, they hired, orators to preach and for them, so the person who has no knowledge or studies may miss the truth.
Maybe, those books have thrown many writers into snares of confusion. In short, it is not easy for us to depend on those books to understand the correct ancestry. So, the only sect which has correctly related to the Murjeia is al- Jahamyya, who were the followers of Jaham b. Safwan, because they frankly believed in what we have mentioned, and the authors have agreed on that. Also they (the authors) have reported (traditions) from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, which have cursed them, while we are innocent of their responsibility.
One of these traditions is: "The Murjeia had been cursed by the tongues of seventy prophets. It was said to him: Who are the Murjeia? He said: Those who said: Belief is speech." 32 In summary. There is no doubt who the Murjeia were at that time. Also they were a group of sects. We have mentioned their thoughts earlier. Their thoughts, which brought them together, was that words are enough to achieve belief even if there is no action to match these words, rather even if the action is contrary to the words. We are in no need to study thoroughly their subdivisions and their characteristics lest we should miss our aim and make mistakes. We ask Allah, the Exalted, to protect us from mistakes.
2. The Mu'tazila:
We have no doubt that al- I'tizal (isolation) was born at the time of al-Sadiq, peace be on him, and at that time it spread. That was when 'Amru b. Ubaid, Wasil b. 'Atta', and the like isolated themselves from the theological school of al- Hasan al- Basry, so they called them with this name (i.e. the Mu'tazila or the isolated.) It is not correct that al- I'tizal (isolation) was born during the time of Amir al- Mu'minin (the Commander of the Faithful) when Sa'ad b. Abu Waqas, b. 'Amr, and Usam b. Zayd isolated themselves from the battles of Amir al- Mu'minin, because that isolation was not due to an idea or suspicion in relation, rather it was deviation from (the right leadership) of Amir al- Mu'minin, peace be on him. Moreover, al- I'tizal was not know at that time, they were not called al- Mu'tazila (the isolated) on that day, and the Mu'tazila did not belong to their school.
After the Mu'tazila had agreed with each other on al- I'tizal, they divided into many sects, and in our present time, there is no one, as I think, belonging to this school. The author of the book 'Al- Farq bayna Al- Firaq', p.94, has reported from the Essays of al- Ka'by.
"Indeed, the Mu'tazila had unanimously agreed that Allah, the Great and Almighty, is a thing not like things, He is the Creator of bodies and spirits, He has created what He created out of nothing, and men do their acts with the fate, which Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, has created in them." He said: "And they had unanimously agreed that Allah does not forgive him who commits great sins without repentance."
This is what al- Ka'by has reported about the common thought of the Mu'tazila. We are satisfied with the above- mentioned text about their beliefs, and we are not concerning a thorough examination to put these words in the scales of criticism to know the correctness of what the author of the above- mentioned book has regarded as right towards this claim. Also this reason has summoned us to pass over what b. Hazm, al-Shahristany, and the author of 'Al- Farq bayan al- Firaq' have attributed to them. Worth mentioning, they have said many ideas about them.
After this, we do not want to treat exhaustively the sects of that grouping and their peculiar beliefs, because the enlargement in such a matter will take us out of the limited plan and we may make mistakes.
Are the fatalists the Mu'tazila? Or are they the Ash'ris themselves? This is an object of doubt, because if we regard the fatalists as those who say: "the acts of men are created for them, and they (the acts) are done and estimated by them, and Allah only creates power and ability with which men do their acts," then they are the Mu'tazila according to the earlier common thought which has been reported from them. And according to this, they are not the Ash'aris themselves, because the Ash'aris are contrary to this; they think that all acts are created and estimated by Allah, the Exalted, not by man.
If we mean the fatalists are those who say that the good and the evil of fate are from Allah, the Exalted, then they are surely the Ash'aris.
From the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, al- Shahrystany has reported: "The fatalists are the Magians of this nation." "The fatalists are the opponents of Allah in fate." 33
3. The Shi'a:
Al- Tashayy' '(shiism) was at the time of the Holder of the Honorable Mission, and some of the companions had been called Shi'a since that day. Some of them were Salman, Abu Dharr,' Ammar, Hudhayfa, Khuzayma, Jabir, Abu Sa'id al- Khidry, Abu Ayyub, Khalid b. Sa'id b. al- 'As, Qays b. Sa'ad, and the like. 34
In Arabic, the word 'Shi'a' means al- atba' (followers), al- Ansar (supporters), and al- A'wan (helpers). It was derived from the word 'al-Mushaya'a which means al- Mutawa'a (obedience), and al- Mutaba'a (agreement). But this word is related to those who follow 'Ali and his family, may Allah bless him and his family. 35
The first to utter the word 'Shi'ea', meaning those who follow 'Ali and the Imams, was the Owner of the Islamic law, the master of the prophets, may Allah bless him and his family, in this connection, many traditions have been mentioned from him. 36
The sects of the Shi'a were many. The books on the religious schools and sects .have mentioned more than we know about them. They have mentioned many sects and many men to whom those sects were related, for example, al- Hashmiya (the Hashymis) attributed to Hisham b al- Hakam, al- Zarariya ( the Zararis) ascribed to Zarara b A'yun,
Al- Shaytaniy a (the Shaytanis) related to Mu'min al- Taq, Mohammed b al- Nu'man b al- Ahwal, al- Yunisiy a (the Yunisis) attributed to Yunis b Abd al- Rahman, and so on In fact, we follow the members of the House ( ahl al Bayt ) And ahl al Bayt knew who were in the House. We know neither kinds nor traces of those sects, nor the heresies which have been ascribed to the above- mentioned men.
Whoever sees the books of traditions and the books of men by the Shi' a, will know that these men were among the chosen companions of the Imams, namely the Imams depended on them and the Shi' a refer to them. So if they had ideas and schools contrary to those of the Imams, then the Imams would have been angry with them and dismissed them. Whoever understands thoroughly these writings about the men who created heresies, will know that the foregoing men were innocent of what they have attributed to them. They disowned b. Saba', cursed him, and warned men against his heresies.
They disowned al- Baqir, peace be on him, and claimed the falsehood. Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, disowned Abu al-Khattab and his company, and Abu al- Jarudy. Concerning banu Fudal, he said: "Take what they have reported, and leave what they have seen", and so on. 37 If such a choice had followed this misguidance which has been related to them, the Imams would have treated them as they treated those who went astray, namely they would have disowned, dispraised, and cursed them.
Yes, the Shi'a had sects before and after the time of al- Sadiq, peace be on him They have become bygone but three sects. They are:
1. The Imamis- they believe in the Imamate of the twelve (Imams), the birth of the twelve ( Imams). They believe that the twelfth Imam is still living now, and they look forward to his coming.
2. The Zaydis- they believe in the Imamate of Zayd and of the sons of Fatima, who rose with the sword and had outstanding merits.
3. The Isma'ilis- they believe that the Imam after al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was his son Isma'il, not Musa and his sons, peace be on them.
The above- mentioned sects are the only sects that have lasted till now. In his book, 'Firaq al- Shi'a', al- Nobakhty has studied those sects who were in the past. They all perished, except what we have mentioned above.
Here, we want to discuss the sects which were during the days of al-Sadiq, peace be on him, even if there is no one of them at present.
The Kaysanis:(2)
During the time of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, among the sects of the Shi'a were the Kaysanis, who adopted the Imamate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya. The authors differ about the reason why they are called the Kaysanis. And they (the Kaysanis) belonged to sects:
A sect said: "Mohammed is al- Mahdy. He is the trustee (wasi) of Amir al- Mo'minin (the Commander of the Faithful), and no one of his family has the right to disobey him. Al- Hasan, peace be on him, made peace with Mu'awiya with his permission. Al- Husayn, peace be on him, revolted (against Yazid) with his permissi'on. And al- Mukhtar revolted to revenge the blood (of al- Husayn) with his permission, too."
A sect said: "He (Mohammed b. al- Hanafiya) was the Imam after his two brothers al-Hasan and al- Husayn, peace be on them. He is al- Mahdy and his father called him with that (name). He never dies and (his death) is impossible. But he has disappeared and no one knows where he is. He will return and rule the earth. And there has been no Imam sine his disappearance till his return. "They (this sect) were the companions of b. Karb and they are called the Karbis.
A sect said: "He (Mohammed b. al- Hanafiya) lives among Radwa Mountains between Mecca and Medina. And he is the awaited Imam (al-Imam al- Muntazar)."
A sect said: "He died. The Imam after him was his son Abd Allah. His kunya (the latter) (i.e. the name by which an Arab is usually referred to and which refers to him as the father of someone, usually his eldest son) was Abu Hisham. He was the eldest of his sons. He was the trustee (wasi) of his father." This sect was called the Hashimites as attribution to Abu Hashim. This sect has mentioned about him as the first sects have mentioned about his father: "He is al- Mahdy. He is still living. And he enlivens the dead. But when Abu Hashim died, his companions subdivided."
Some famous intelligent men belonged to the Kaysanis. Among them was Kuthayr 'Azzah whose poetry is always reported.
The famous sayyid Isma'il al- Hymyary was one of them. Also his poetry supplies evidence for what they attributed to him. But he changed his mind and believed in the Imamate of al- Sadiq, peace be on him when al- Sadiq debated with him and overcame him. He has famous poetry concerning his refraining from his sect and his believing in the Imamate of al- Sadiq.
Among them was Hayyan al- Sarraj. One day he came to al- Sadiq, peace be on him. So Abu Abd Allah (al- Sadiq) said to him: "Hayyan, What do your companions say concerning Mohammed b. al- Hanafiya?" He said: "They say: 'He is still living." So, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "My father, peace be on him, said to me: 'I was among those who visited him during his illness, and among those who shut his eyes, entered him his bit (grave), married his wives (to other men), and divided his heritage (among his children). So he said: "Abu Abd Allah, Mohammed in this nation is like '
Isa b. Maryam, men became uncertain to him, his followers or his enemies?" He said: "Rather, his enemies." So he, peace be on him, said: "Do you think that Abu Ja'far Mohammed b. 'Ali, peace be on them is the enemy of his uncle Mohammed b. al- Hnafiya?" So he said: "No." Then al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Hayyan , you have turned away from the Verses of Allah while He, the Blessed and Exalted, said: "We will reward those who turn away from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away." 39
Barid al- 'Ajali 40 said: "I came to al- Sadiq, peace be on him, and he said to me: 'If you had come a little bit earlier, you would have met Hayyan al-Sarraj', and he pointed to a place in the house. Then he said: "He was sitting over here. He mentioned Mohammed b. al- Hanafiya and his life. And he praised him. So I said to him: "Hayyan, do you not claim and they claim, and you report and they report: this nation has the same things the children of Isra'il (banu Isra'il) had? So he said: "Yes." Then he said: 'Have you or they seen, you or they heard that a scholar died before men, his wives have been married (to others), and his properties have been divided (among his children), while he is living and never dies?" So, he stood up and did not answer any thing. 41
The Kaysanis are among the extinct sects, today, we do not know people who belong to them.
The Zaydis:
The Zaydis are among the groupings which are ascribed to the Shi'a. They belonged to Zaid b. 'Ali b. al- Husayn, peace be on them, because they believed in his Imamate.
Zayd, peace be on him, did not claim the Imamate for himself, rather men claimed it for him. Nothing summoned him to rise but that he wanted to support the truth and wage war against the falsehood. Zaid was far above asking what was not for him.
If he had overcome (his enemies), he would have known the place where to put it. Some traditions were attributed to him showing that he requested the Imamate for himself. But the reason in them is very clear, because al-Sadiq, peace be on him, was afraid the authority of the Omayyads would relate Zaid's revolt to him, so they would punish him, his family, and his followers (Shi'a) for that crime. So he drove away that danger with that attribution, and if Zayd had been as those traditions mentioned, then his two grandfathers al- Mustafa and al- Murtada, peace be on them and their families, would not have wept over him before he was created, and the memories of what would happen to him would not have brought about that great sadness and depression for them. Similarly, his ancestors had suffered from the sad memories when they remembered his killing and what happened to him after that.
It is enough that his revolt and innocence were far above what was attributed to him that al- Sadiq, peace be on him, wept over him and divided the properties among the families of those who were killed with him. Also, he blamed those who did not support him. And he called those who stood by him believers, and those who waged war against him unbelievers.
How he requested the Imamate for himself while al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "May Allah have mercy on him. Truly, he was believing, knowing, knowledgeable, and truthful. Verily, if he had won a victory (over his enemies), he would have fulfilled (his promise). Indeed, if he had had authority, he would have known how to put it." 42
And he said: "Do not say that Zayd deviated. Surely, Zayd was knowledgeable and truthful. He did not summon you for himself Rather, he summoned you for al- Rida from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. If he had overcome (his opponents), he would have fulfilled what he had summoned you for. He only revolted against the supreme authority of a group to change it." 43
Al- Rida, peace be on him, said to al- Ma'mun: "Do not compare my brother Zayd with Zayd b. 'Ali, peace be on them, for Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family. He became angry for Allah, the Great and Almighty. So, he waged holy war against His enemies till he was killed for Him. Indeed, Zayd b. 'Ali, peace be on him, did not request what he had no right to He was more devout than that to Allah. He said: "I summon you to al- Rida from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family." 44
Al- Rida said these words frankly during the time of the Abbassids. His son Yahya said: "May Allah have mercy on my father. He was among the worshipers. He prayed at night and fasted at day. He strove for Allah sincerely." So, Umayr b. al- Mutawakil al- Balakhy said: "So, I said: "Son (i.e. grandson) of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, is this the manner and quality of the Imam?" So, he said: "Abu Abd Allah, surely, my father was not an Imam. But he was among the noble master and their ascetics, and he was among the mujhahidin for Allah.
I said: "son of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, surely, your father requested the Imamate for himself and waged holy war for Allah, and it has been mentioned from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, that whoever claims the Imamate is a liar." So, he said: "Slowly! Slowly! Abu Abd Allah, indeed, my father was more intelligent than to claim what he had no right to. However, he said: "I summon to al- Rida from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family." He meant my cousin Ja'far, peace be on him. He said: "I said: 'So, today, he has knowledge." He said: "Yes, he is the most knowledgeable of Banu Hashim." 45
This tradition has shown the high position of Zayd in religion and virtue and denoted that what they attributed to him is baseless. Also the tradition has proven that Yahya had a high position in piety, science, and knowledge.
There are many traditions which show that Zayd was more sublime than that summons. He was more pious, and purer than to corrupt himself with the summons to the Imamate. But after his death, some people claimed that the Imamate was for Zayd, so they were called the Zaydis for that claim.
The Zaydis have many sects. The following opinion brings them together.
The Imamate is exclusive for the sons of Fatima, peace be on her. They have not permitted the sureness of the Imamate in other than they. But they have permitted every Fatimid, whether he is of the sons of al-Hasan, peace be on him, or of the sons of al- Husayn, peace be on him, to be an Imam with obligatory obedience, provided that he should be a scholar ascetic, brave, generous, waged holy war with the sword. Then a sect of them professed the Imamate of Mohammed and Ibrahim, the two sons of Abd Allah b. al- Hasan, peace be on him. 46 I think that they have made the Imamate exclusive for the sons of Fatima for those who maybe Imams after Zayd, because some sects of them professed the sureness of the Imamate for the two Shaykhs as you will know.
The Batariya:
The Batariya were among the sects of the Zaydis. They were the companions of Kathir al- Nawa, al- Hasan b. Salim b. Abu Hafsa, al-Hakam b. 'Ayyina, Salama b. Kuhail, and al- Miqdam Thabit al Hadad. They (the Batariya) summoned (people) to the Imamate of 'Ali, peace be on him, then they mixed 'Ali's Imamate with that of Abu- Bakr and 'Umar, and proved the Imamate for them. They dispraised 'Uthman, Talha, al- Zubayr, and 'A'isha. It is said: "They were called the Batariya when they mentioned their beliefs before Zayd b. 'Ali, so he said to them: 'You have cut off our instruction when you have left Allah." And it is said: "They were called the Bataris because they were attributed to Kathir al- Nawa whose hand was amputated." 47
If this attribution was right, then they would be called al- 'Abtariya, not al- Batariya.
The Sulaymanis:
Among the Zaydis were the Sulaymanis, who belonged to Sulayman b. Jarir. They believed in the Imamate of the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and 'Umar), but they dispraised 'Uthman, Talha, al- Zubar, and 'A'isha.
They ascribed these persons to unbelief They think that the Imamate is made with consultation (Shura), and it is concluded through a contract between two of the good men of the nation. They allowed the Imamate of the mafdul (less excellent) with the existence of the afdal (the most excellent), and they claimed that the nation left the most excellent during the homage when they recognized Abu Bakr and 'Umar as caliphs, and they left 'Ali, peace be on him, though he was worthier of Imamate than they. But the mistake that took place during their homage did not entail unbelief nor transgression. 48
Consequently, we understand that the claim ascribed to the Zaydis, which says that the Imamate is not proved for other than the sons of Fatima, only concerns those who came after Zayd and who rose with the sword.
Also we do not know the reason why these two sects are regarded as Shi'tes.
The Jarudiya:
The Jarudiya was a sect of the Zaydis. They belonged to Ziyad b. al-Mundhir Abu al- Jarud. They may also be called the Sarhubiyya. And it is said: "Indeed, the Sarhub is the name of a blind Satan, who lives in the sea, so Abu al- Jarud was called with his name. Abu al- Jarud was among the Companions of al- Baqir and al- Sadiq, peace be on them. When Zayd revolted, he changed his mind."
It has been reported that al- Sadiq, peace be on him, called him a liar and an unbeliever. With him were Kathir al- Nawa and Salim b. Abu Hafsah. Also it has been mentioned about him: "(He was called) 'Ama al- Basar (blind- sighted) and 'Ama al- Qalb (blind- hearted)."49
The Jarudiya think that men were neglectful when they did not try to research to know the Imam, because they were able to know him, rather they disbelieved when they paid homage to Abu Bakr. So, they (the Jarudiya) do not believe in the Imamate of the three caliphs, rather they believe in their unbelief because they requested the Imamate and did not pay homage to 'Ali, peace be on him. 50
The Salihiya:
It is said: Surely, among them (the Zaydis) were the Salihiya. They are ascribed to al- Hasan b. Salih. You have known that they were a group of the Batariya, because al- Hasan was among the men of the Batariya. So, there is no reason to regard them as an independent sect. Yes, there are small differences between him and Kathir al- Nawa, the first man of the Batariya.
Thus there is no need to part his sect from the Batariya.
In his book 'Firaq Al- Shi'a', al- Nobakhty has mentioned the Zaydis in another manner and increased it. But we think that what we have written is nearer to what the books of al- Milal and al- Nihal have mentioned. So see them if you want more explanation.
The Isma'ilis:
Among the sects of the Shi'a are the Isma'ilis. The view concerning the Imamate of Isma'il started during the days of al- Sadiq, peace be on him. Some of the Isma'ilis thought that the Imamate should be for the eldest (son) and Isma'il was the eldest of his brothers, and he had outstanding merit. When he died during the days of his father, they knew their mistake.
As for those who insisted on the Imamate of Isma'il, they divided into sects. Some of them denied his death during the lifetime of his father, peace be on him. So, they said: "His father has hidden him from men because he is worried about him." They claimed that Isma'il would not die till he rules the earth and assumes the affairs of men. (They thought that) he would be the one who will rise (qa'im), because his father designated him as Imam after his death. But when his death appeared, we knew that he (his father) was truthful and that the one who would rise(qa'im) would not die.
And some of them said that he died and that the Imamate was given to his son Mohammed, because the Imamate is not but for children, and it (the Imamate) is not for brothers except al- Hasan and al- Husayn, peace be on them. So, when Isma'il died, it was obligatory that the Imam after Ja'far, peace be on him, had to be Mohammed b. Isma'il, and it was not permissible for any of the brothers of Isma'il to be the Imam. Also Mohammed b. al- Hanafiya had no right with 'Ali b. al- Husayn, peace be on them. The followers of this view were called the Mubaraka. They were named after their leader al- Mubarak (the blessed).
As for the Khattabiya, the companions of Abu al- Khattab Mohammed b. Abu Zaynab al- Asady al- Ajda', they joined the sect that believed in the Imamate of Mohammed b. Isma'il after the killing of Abu al- Khattab. They were among the extreme groups. Then they divided into sects. The Qaramita were among them. 51
Abu al- Khattab was a companion of al- Sadiq's, peace be on him. But when al- Sadiq knew that he told him lies, he (al- Sadiq) dismissed him, disowned him, and cursed him.
Then Abu al- Khattab claimed that he was a prophet and Mohammed b. Ja'far, peace be on him, was a god and that he was his messenger. Besides, he and his group issued heresies, desires, and permission (for unlawful things).
'Isa b. Musa, the governor of al- Mansur over Kufa, heard about the manners of Abu al- Khattab and his group, who were seventy men. While they were holding a meeting in the Mosque of Kufa, he (the governor) attacked them. No one was able to escape. He killed all but two persons, one of them was badly wounded.
He was regarded as among the killed, so he was able to escape. And the other was Abu al- Khttab himself. He was captured and killed by 'Isa b. Musa on the bank of the Euphrates. 'Isa b. Musa cut off their heads and burned their bodies. Then he sent their heads to al- Mansur,52 who hung them on the gate of Baghdad for three days, then they were burnt.
The Imamis:
Among the sects of the Shi'a are the Imamis. Also they are called the Ja'fariya because they are ascribed to Ja'far b. Mohammed, peace be on him, who became a school. (In the following pages you will know) how he has become a school out of the rest of the Imams while they were all a school in the rules.
The Imamis have believed in the Imamate of the twelve (Imams): 'Ali, al- Hasan, al- Husayn, 'Ali b. al- Husayn, Mohammed b. 'Ali, Ja'far b. Mohammed, Musa b. Ja'far, 'Ali b. Musa Mohammed b. 'Ali, 'Ali b. Mohammed, al- Hasan b. 'Ali, and his son al- Mahdy, the hidden, to whose coming they look forward the blessings of Allah be on them all.
The Imamis believe that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, had decided the Imamate of the above- mentioned Imams with the clear public nomination from Allah, the Great and Almighty, and that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, nominated the Imamate and Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) and he nominated him as his brother and testamentary trustee. The textual nomination (nass) by the Prophet was on several occasions, for example, the Day of al- Ghadir. Also the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, told (people) about the Caliphs and the Imams who would rule one by one after the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) peace be on him, as we have mentioned their names earlier.
Then the Imams handed down that textual nomination (nass) from one to another. So, 'Ali nominated al- Hasan, al- Hasan nominated al- Husayn, al- Husayn nominated his son 'Ali, In this manner the father nominated his son till the textual nomination ended at b. al- Hasan, (who called) al- Muntazar (the awaited one). Besides, the Imamis believe that al- Muntazar has been alive since he was born on the night of 15th of Sha'ban in the year 255 (A. H.) (869), and that he has been away from view because of the unjust rulers of his time, and that he is al- Mahdi (the most guided one), who will fill the earth with justice and fairness as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. 53
53 Many Sunnis mentioned Imam al- Mahdi b. al- Hasan al-'Askary. They have admitted his existence and that he is al- Mau'ud (the promised one) See: Matalib al-Sa'ul, Al- Hjja by b. 'Arab, Lawaqih Al- Anwar, Al- Tadhkira, Sharh Al- Da'ira, Al-Fusul Al- Muhima, Fara'id Al- Simtayn, and the like. Rather, some of them claimed that they had seen and met him.
Also the Imamis believe that these Imams are protected from the sin, the mistake, forgetfulness, and heedlessness as it is in our Prophet and all the prophets, peace be on them, and that their knowledge is not acquisitive, rather it is inspiration and inheritance from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. The son inherited it from his father and the brother from his brother as it is in al- Hasan and al- Husayn.
As the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was the Inheritor of the knowledge of Prophets and Apostles and had the knowledge of the past people and of the last people, so the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin) had all that knowledge, because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "I am the city of knowledge and 'Ali is its gate." Apart from this tradition, there are many traditions and verses of the Book (the Koran).54
Also, concerning the Imams, the Imamis believe that they were the servants of Allah, the Glorified, created by Him, provided with the means of subsistence by Him, and that they did not deal conclusively with the affairs of mankind, such as life, death, giving, forbidding, and the like but with the permission from Allah, the Exalted, just as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, did in connection with men. About 'Isa, peace on him, the Book (the Koran) reports: "That I determine for you out of dust like the from of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission." 55
The Imamis have concluded that with the intellectual proofs, traditions, and reports. Some of these maybe mentioned in this book.
Also the Imamis have concluded the textual nomination concerning the Imams with the traditions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
These traditions have been reported by the two parties (i.e., the Sunnis and the Shi'a). Among them is: "The Imams are from Quraysh, they are twelve, 56 they are from the sons of 'Ali and Fatima, and their nomination is with their names one by one." 57
Moreover, the Imamis produced Allah's favor (lutf) as evidence for the Imamate when he confined it to them (the Imams), then if there was an Imam, (people) should follow his Imamate, obey and know him.
The Imamis refer to these Imams to know the commandments of religion, so every commandment which has been proved by the Prophet or by them, they adopt it. But if the traditions are differ about a certain commandment, they apply the rules of equilibrium and preference according to the established fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence.
Concerning Islamic commandments, apart from the Book (the Koran) and the Sunna (the traditions and acts of the Prophet or Infallible Imams), the Imamis adopt the unanimous resolution and the irrefutable commandment of intellect. When these four sources are not able to give them the Islamic commandment, they refer to their practical fundamentals according to what situations require, which are general juridical rules proven with evidences.
The Imamis think that the traditions which have been reported (by men) from the Imams are some of the sunna, because they knew the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, by heart, and protected his law (Shari'a), so what they had was from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, not from their own independent reasoning and ideas.
The sunna is one of the four sources which are used to deduce practical laws of Islam.
These four sources, as we have mentioned are: The Book (Koran), the Sunna (the traditions and acts of the Prophet or infallible Imams), consensus (ijma'), and intellect ('aql). The explanation of evidence of these sources and how to refer to them have been mentioned in the books of the fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence.
As for their belief in Allah, the most Exalted, the Imamأ¯s believe that He, the Glorified, is a thing but He is not similar to other things. He has no body or physical form, and cannot be seen by eyes in this world or the Hereafter."
Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision. His Attributes are the same as His self He, the Exalted, is just, and He does not oppress anyone of His servants, because oppression is indecent by a sane mind, and He created all things out of nothing.
As for their belief in our Prophet Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, the Imamis believe that he was infallible from the error, the slip, forgetfulness, heedlessness, mortal and venial sins, that he did not commit any of them before or after his prophethood, and that he was sent for all the world. This is their belief in the infallibility of apostles and prophets
The Imamis believe that the Imamate is among the fundamentals (of Islam), which should be proved with the rational evidence in addition to the narrated texts, and of the rational evidence. is the rule of Allah's favor (qa'idat al- Lutf).
Concerning ma'ad (the Return), the Imamis believe that Allah, the Glorified, will return men for resurrection with those bodies which were in the world, and they are (the bodies) which will be rewarded and will live eternally in Paradise (janan) or will be punished and live eternally in hell (niran).
As for the acts of men, the Imamis believe that they are a matter between two matters; neither compulsion nor authorization. Namely, Allah, the Glorified, does not force men to achieve their action so as not to oppress them when He will punish them for their sins, rather they have the ability and option in what they do. Nor Allah has authorized them to act freely with the creation of their actions, then He has no ability to control His servants, rather He has the decision and the order, and He is able to do everything and encompasses His servants.
Also, He may hold back him from the factors of disobedience and misguidance as a favor from Him for His servant, and this is what we call tawfiq (Allah's blessing on someone for doing good actions).
These are some beliefs of the Imamis about the existence and the oneness of Allah, the attributes of Allah, prophethood, the Imamate, the hereafter, and the actions of men.
We have briefly mentioned the beliefs of the Imamis. But they have been explained in detail in the books of theology and beliefs.
Today, the Imamis constitute the great majority of the Shi'a all over the Islamic countries. Since the first day of the beginning of writing, their books about all sciences have been spread among nations. The urban, the Bedouin, the ignorant, and the scholar read their books.
At the present time, their is no obvious well known sect except that were during the time of al- Sadiq, peace on him, so we have neglected those sects that took place after him, peace on him, such as the Fatahiya, the Nawusiya, and the Waqifiya.
4. The Kharijites:
This sect appeared on the day of (the Battle of) Siffin due to the trick of b. al-'As when he advised Mu'awiya, who was feeble, to continue fighting to raise copies of the Koran and to summon (Imam 'Ali's Army) to resort to them. When they (Ma'awiyya's Army) raised the copies of the Koran, a group of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin), peace be on him, mutinied against him saying that they (Mu'awiya's Army) were summoning them to the Book of Allah while he was summoning them to the sword.
So, he blamed them for that , tried to hold them back from being deceived by that trick, and said to them: "Woe unto You! I am the most knowledgeable in the Book of Allah." But his blame, his deterrence, and his evidence were all useless. Moreover; they said to him: "Prevent Malik from fighting the Muslims; otherwise we will do against you as we had done against 'Uthman." So, he was forced to order Malik to come back while he was about to defeat Mu'awiya's Army and the latter was about to escape. Then they (the Kharijites) forced him (Imam 'Ali) to accept the arbitration.
Thus, he wanted to send Abd Allah b. Abbas, but they ordered him to send Abu Musa al- Ash'ary. When the arbitration took place, the Khrijities said: "Why did you appoint the men as arbitrators in the religion of Allah? There is no rule but for Allah." From here, they were called al- Muhakima. The Commander of the faithful came back from (the Battle of) Siffin while they were insisting on their deviation and disobedience. Then they gathered at Harawra' near Kufa, so they were called the Harawriyya.
The Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) opposed with argument all their claims, but they caused mischief in the land, killed Khabab- one of the good Companions- and cut open the bellies of the pregnant women. So, the Commander of the Faithful was forced to kill those who insisted on their deviation at (the Battle of) Nahrwan. But that battle was not able to destroy their opinions, rather there were still people who adopted their ideas and deviation. Such people annoyed the kings and the governors during those times.
Whenever a group of them perished, another group appeared. People were in a state of terror because they suffered from their quick assassination, ugly actions, cruelty, and violation of the forbidden. They waged war against the kings and the governors out of belief and tranquillity. They fought bravely, so men were not able to stand before them even if they were more than they because the men had no belief to resist that belief But if they (the followers of the Kharijites) felt that they were weak, they attacked people at night and ran away. For this reason, no place was safe from their evil actions.
They (the Kharijites) had external devotion and worship, they were still attracting the rabble with those righteous aspects, the propagation for disobeying the false supreme ruler, and the propagation for acting according to the Book and the Sunna, even if they contradicted those aspects and propagation through using oppression and causing mischief But the simple of men might be deceived by that phenomenon of devotion and righteousness.
Also some of the followers of the Divine Books (the Jews, the Christians, and the Magians), and those who did not believe in the correctness of the religion of Islam were deceived by those attractive phenomena, so they added them to their fighters and boasted of them.
After that the strength of the Kharijites became weak and their evil acts became calm, and people lived in peace for a period of time, but their importance appeared again during the days of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, when one of their leaders Abd Allah b. Yahya al- Kindy called Talib al-Haq rose in Hadramout after he had asked the advice of Abadiya- who were in Basrah. They made the rise incumbent on him. Among them were Abu Hamza al- Mukhtar b. 'Auf al- Azdy and Balakh b. 'Aqaba al- Mas'udy. Then two thousand men paid him homage. So, with their support, he appeared.
When his army became big, he wrote letters to the Kharijites in Sana, then he headed for it. So, battles took place between him and the governor of Sana. Abd Allah defeated the governor and controlled the treasuries of properties. Then he dominated Yemen. When the time of hajj (pilgrimage) came, he formed an army of a thousand fighters under the leadership of Abu Hamza. Among them were Balakh and Abraha b. al- Sabbagh. He ordered him to stay at Mecca when people came back from it and send Balakh to Sham (Syria). So, they entered Mecca on the 8th day of Dhu- Al-Hijja. At that time 'Abd al- Wahid b. Sulayman b. Abd al- Malik was the governor of Marwan al- Himar over Mecca and Medina.
So, Abd al- Wahid hated to fight them so as not to make people afraid of them. For this reason he wrote them some letters. He asked them not to prevent people from performing their hajj. Besides he assured them that they would be safe till people finished the third day of immolation. When that day was over, Abd al- Wahid left Mecca and allowed Abu Hamza to enter it without fighting.
Entering Medina, Abd al- Wahid prepared an army to fight Abu Hamza. The two armies met at Qadid. Abu Hamza defeated Abd al- Wahid. He killed 2230 men from the people of Medina. Then Balakh entered Medina without fighting. Abd al- Wahid left for Sham. So, Marwan formed an army of four thousand men, who were the horsemen and the great figures of his camp. He provided them with whatever they needed. The army was under the leadership of Abd al- Malik b. 'Atiya al- Sa'idy.
When the Kharijites heard about the movement of the Army of Sham, they quickly constituted an army of six hundred fighters headed by Balakh b. 'Aqaba al- Mas'udy. The two armies met at Wady al- Qura on some days of Jamadi al- 'ula in the year 130 (A.H.). The Army of Sham defeated the Army of the Kharijites All were killed except thirty people. They escaped to Medina. Al- Mufaddal al- Azdy was the governor of Medina. So, 'Amr b. Abd al- Rahman b. Zayd b. al- Khattab summoned people to fight the Kharijites in Medina but no one answered him. Any how, the Berbers, the ngroes, and common people supported him to fight the Kharijites. So, he killed al- Mufaddal and most of his companions and the rest ran away. Then b. 'Atiya came to Medina and stayed there for a month.
Then he went to Mecca. There a fierce battle took place between him and Abu Hamza. Many of the Kharijites were killed. Four hundred of them were captured and killed. And b. 'Atiya hanged Abu Hamza, Ibrahim and 'Ali b. al-Husayn on the Mountains of al- Khif. When the Abbasids took the reins of authority, they were brought down during the days of al- Saffah. Then b. 'Atiya went to Ta'if When Abd Allah b. Yahya Talib al- Haq, who was in Sana, heard about the killing of Abu Hamza and his group, he headed for b. 'Atiya to wage war against him. So, b. 'Atiya advanced towards him. When they met, a large group of the two parties was killed. Abd Allah and a thousand fighters dismounted.
They fought until they were all killed. Abd Allah was killed, too. Bin 'Atiya sent his head to Marwan. After he had defeated the Kharijites, b. 'Atiya stayed at Hadramout. A letter from Marwan came to him to go quickly to Mecca to lead people during the hajj. B. 'Atiya with nineteen horsemen went there quickly. But Marwan regretted and said: "I have killed b. 'Atiya. He will leave Yemen quickly to reach Mecca at the time of Hajj. So, the Kharijites will kill him." It was as he said. A disguised group of the Kharijites and others met him by chance. The Kharijites knew him and they attacked and killed him. 58
After that, the Kharijites were nothing but belief and idea. They had no strength to wage war against the kings. Till today, some of them have insisted on that deviation. And some of them are in Uman. But they have neither importance nor strength.
The Kharijites are deviated people. About them, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, told the Commander of the Faithful that he would wage war against them and defeat them.
The Kharijites were many sects. They agreed on the belief that 'Ali, 'Uthman, the two arbitrators, the Companions of the Camel, and all those who were satisfied with the arbitration of the two arbitrators were all unbelievers. They accused those who commit sins of unbelief They made it obligatory to disobey the oppressive Imam, as it has been mentioned from al- Ka'bi in the (book) Al- Farq bayna Al- Firaq, p.55.
But it has been reported on the authority of Abu al- Hasan al- Ash'ary that they denied their agreement on accusing those who commit sins of unbelief.
About that, many details have been mentioned on their authority. Many sects of the Kharijites have become bygone. Moreover, those who are in Uman today belong to the Abadiyya according to their beliefs.
The Extremists and Those who have disagreed with Islam on some Beliefs:
In the beginning of this chapter, we have mentioned that the origins of the Islamic sects were four groupings.
From them, all sects branched. The sects of the extremists belonged to the branches of those origins. So, every origin had extreme branches.
Such a matter is applied to those who adopt certain beliefs, for example, transmigration of souls, incarnation, and assimilation- which are regarded as unbelief by Muslim sects. But it is not easy to attack them with unbelief because of the belief which is ascribed to them. Whoever has little knowledge of religion should not accuse those who confess the Shahadatayn (the two testimonies by a Muslim- Ashhadu an la Ilaha illallah and Ash- haddu anna Mohammedar Rasulullah) of unbelief.
So, he should depend on a strong idea. As long as we are in no need of that, we will not discuss this matter and throw ourselves down a tremendous height, then look for a safe escape, especially those sects which are accused of disagreement with Islam because of their false beliefs have become bygone. Nothing has remained of them except small ones of no importance among the children of Islam, and no one is afraid of their corrupt beliefs. In the meantime, they have kept their beliefs secret because they know that the children of religion have the ability to overcome such beliefs with arguments and proofs and charge them with disbelief and deviation from Islam.
The carefulness of spreading these corrupt beliefs to the ignorant is more important than that of the past people who resisted those heresies and misguidance with every means. But, today, we are safe from the misleading ideas of their present sects. Just imagine how much less heresies of those dead sects are!
The Suspicions of Atheists:
Today, it is very important to take care of spreading suspicions of atheists whose selves try to get ride of the commandments of religion. While they have forgotten that these commandments put man in the classes of angels and the spiritual, takes him out of awful savageness and lethal desires, protects him from those who show enmity towards his most valuable aims in this life: his life, his reputation, and his property.
Also these Islamic commandments guard the above- mentioned valuable aims against any aggression. This is the freedom which they look for. With this freedom they have drawn away from the people of intellect and chastity and followed the people of cruelty, dissoluteness, and prostitution. This freedom has deceived some young men and made them fall into these snares, because young men quickly follow their desires and break the claimed shackles without resorting to their mind and using their intellect before they are deceived.
THE IMAMATE
Muslims have unanimously agreed on the necessity of the Imamate. But they have different beliefs about it, because the Imam leads the Muslim community, guards it against misguidance, enforces the Islamic law, and spreads the teachings of Islam.
A part of the policy of the Owner of the religious law and the marvelous things of his rule is that he ordered (Muslims) to know the Imam, so he said: "Whoever dies and does not know the Imam of his time dies for jahiliya (pre Islamic paganism age)."59 Namely, he dies as if he did not adopt Islam.
59 In this manner the tradition has been mentioned in the origin of the book. We have not found it in the available books. What we have found is this text: "Whoever dies without an Imam dies the death of jahiliya." Kanz Al- 'Umal: 1/103.
If the Muslims act according to this religious duty and carry out what this obligation ordains, to know the Imam and listen to his words after they have known him, they will be one army and their leader is the Imam. Then no Muslim ignores the commandments of the religion or he knows them but he does not act according to them. Moreover, the flags of Islam will wage all over the world.
The caliphate and Imamate was a race course, no one takes its reins but the person who wins the race even if with blood shed and violating the forbidden, rather even if the caliph himself, after taking the reins of authority, is impudent and dissolute paying no attention to what he does.
But the Imami Shi'a, since the first era, have not attached importance to such an Imamate and not acknowledged such an Imamate. Rather they think that the caliph or the Imam should have all the qualities of perfection, free from all the traits of defect, carrying out the commandments of the Islamic Law secretly and openly, refraining from the outside and the inside forbidden things, and prevent people from doing them. He should be appointed according to the textual nomination by the Owner of the Islamic Law or by the Imam before him, to carry out the order of Allah, the Glorified, because He, the Exalted, is more than his servants in choosing the most righteous person for this sensitive position.
The Imam is not he who leads people, rather the Imam is the person whom the evidences support, even if people do not follow him or prevent him from carrying out the obligations of his Imamate and the duties of his leadership.
The resistance and apposition of people against the Imam does not decrease his ability to assume the obligations of the Imamate, rather they miss their chance and lose a way of guidance.
So, the Imam, according to the Imami viewpoint, is the person who is responsible for the obligations of the Imamate whether he rises or not, pronounces it or keeps silence, and advances for the race or falls behind, because his Imamate is not achieved through the borrowed clothing. Namely he become an Imam when he takes this clothing from the others and is out of the Imamate when the others take this clothing from him.
The Imam is the serious evidence, so he should inform people about his Imamate and provide evidences for it when there is a necessary need. Also people should know him and obey him when they know him.
As for providing evidences for the Imamate of the Imam, he should declare or hint it.
Enough for evidences that he should state his outstanding merits and miracles and show the knowledge which people are not able to show, except. when the swords prevent him from showing that; yet his acts and habits denote his position even if his tongue is silent.
The Imamate has been one of the researches which raise argument and dispute among Muslims since the first day of the Owner of the mission (the Prophet).
The argument and the disputes have taken place through the pen, the tongue, the sword, and the spearhead.
Today, the foundations of the Imamate is built on the ruins of the past. Also today and tomorrow it is the difference among the sects as it was yesterday, though the Muslim have agreed on the Prophet, the Book, and the qibla (the Ka'bah). Today and yesterday, among the sects are the owners of preferable intellect and correct ideas, who have the ability to unify these sects under one banner, tell them about the reasons which have led the Imamate to backwardness and disunity, inform them about the advantages of unity, warn them against the evil of disunity, and make them feel the disasters, the destruction, and the discord from which Islam has suffered because of that dispute and argument. As the Imamate is the crossways, so this disunity should gather at it.
If people knew today the reality of the Imamate and who the Imam is, they, even if some of them, would move quickly to form a unity to include all the sects at this critical hour when anarchy and discord prevailes.
I (the author) will try to point to some qualities the Imam should have, even if my word is in vain, to attract the attention of the heedless person and move the mindful one. This does not irritate me as long as the intention is right and the purpose is valuable, and it is to seek the pleasure of Allah, the Glorified.
I (the author) say: Indeed, the regime which the Last of the prophets has brought brings two manners together; the manner of the person with the Creator and his manner with the created, and whoever brings such a regime should be able to enforce and carry it out to spread his law all over the world. So, when the Prophet enforced and carried out his law, he had two temporal and spiritual powers. When he passed away, the community led eventually to the necessity which summoned him to conclude the Imamate during his lifetime.
The community thought that it was obligatory to carry out the functions of the owner of the mission, and no one would assume them but an Imam who had a general leadership over all the Muslim nation, and he had to have the two powers which the truthful Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, had; otherwise the regime which ensured the two happy places (in this world and the hereafter) would be without execution. In the meantime all those efforts from which the Owner of the mission suffered would be useless.
As the Imamate is incumbent on the Muslim community on the account of necessity, then who is the worthiest of this great function? I wonder: Is the worthiest one who was like the Owner of the mission in knowledge and act, guided in himself and guides others, provided evidence for his ideas and no weakness comes upon his evidence? If people asked him for a miracle, acts in words and he would bring it easily and without hesitation, convinced easily the stubborn, knew all that which the Owner of the mission brought and acted upon it, knew the revelation and interpretation of the Koran, full of good qualities, rather the best of all men in every quality, had no bad quality, generally speaking the model of the Prophet in all his outstanding merits?
Or is the worthiest of it he who does not know the above- mentioned qualities and they do not know him or has some of them and empty of the others? Without doubt, you will say: the first person is worthier of the Imamate than the second person is.
But I (the author) think that you will say. Indeed, all the importance is to prove two matters in this respect: the first matter it is obligatory to appoint an Imam according to the above- mentioned qualities. The second matter is that he is in the Muslim community and he has all these qualities. If it is proved that the Imam should have these qualities and he is in the Muslim community, then to refuse his Imamate and orders is stubbornness which the possessor of religion and intellect does not accept.
I will prove these two matters for you hoping that you will hear and understand.
As for the first evidence, it maybe summarized as follows: Surely, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was aware of what he declared. He was not ignorant of what he was asked. His law is one. There is no disunity in it. It is immortal till the Day of Judgment. The law of Mohammed is lawful till the Day of Resurrection and what he declared unlawful is unlawful till the Day of Resurrection.
If he had given a free hand to the Muslim community to choose the Imam to carry out his obligations, we would have found the Muslim community ignorant about the commandments of the law, and not distinguish between the lawful and the unlawful, because the Muslim community had no sound judgment about the science of law to refer to it, nor did it have a just ruler who had the ability to enforce the punishments to obey him. For this reason, the Muslims divided into schools and sects. Each sect provided evidence for their ideas and beliefs.
Then the people chose one among themselves as a caliph and Imam for themselves. They chose the caliphs who did not know all what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, brought, and had no knowledge of what they were asked about. As those caliphs became, after they had been elected, the just ruler, and as people did not find their purpose concerning the government and the commandments, every sect began showing its beliefs and ideas. But no sect had assorted arguments and clear evidence to refute the suspicions of those schools and the doubts of those ideas. The sects opposed each other. Each sect attributed their beliefs to the Islamic Law and religion though the lawful and the unlawful are unchangeable till the last hour of this existence and the Islamic law is one and immortal throughout history. Nevertheless, after the Prophet of Islam, legislators, laws, beliefs, and schools have entered Islam.
This change and deviation was created by men because they had elected those who had little knowledge of the Islamic Law to be the scholar and ruler. At the same time they refuted sometimes the proofs of men with evidence and sometimes with the sword to force people to obey him and his beliefs. So it is incumbent upon the Muslim community to choose the Imam who is knowledgeable of what has come in the Prophetic Law, follows the acts of the Prophet, has knowledge of what he is asked, and has the evidence to remove doubts, falsehood, ignorance and misguidance so that the Islamic Law will last forever according to the orders of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the lawful and the unlawful of the Prophet are unchangeable throughout life. otherwise, there will be no laws, no legislators, no schools, and no beliefs.
But how can the Muslim community choose such a ruler? From where can it know him?
If they knew him, how would they agree on him because people have different trends and purposes?
So, it is incumbent on Allah, the Exalted, to appoint an Imam for the Muslim community and nominate that just successor and model scholar through the Prophet because Allah, the Glorified, knows the advantage of his servants and knows the person who is worthy of this sensitive function and great position.
Therefore, if the nomination of the Imam is incumbent on Allah, the Exalted, then it is impossible, according to the wise men, for Him, the Glorified, to neglect the incumbent that sets right his servants and guides his creation. It is also impossible for the Prophet to neglect Allah's nomination concerning this Imam. Then if it was possible for the Prophet to neglect such as an incumbent, it was possible for him to neglect other than that incumbent.
Consequently, as the Prophet is an incumbent, the Imam is an incumbent, too. As Allah sends a prophet, He appoints an Imam. So, there is no Prophet without an Imam and no law without explanation and execution.
As for the evidence for the second; which is the existence of this Imam, it is easy to prove it after what we have mentioned above, because if we believe that the appointment of the Imam according to the outstanding merits is obligatory, and that Allah, the Exalted, appoints him for His creation, we will believe that Allah does not make the name and ancestry of the Imam unknown, and that it is difficult for the Muslim nation to know him. We know that there is no Imam in the Muslim community for whom that incumbent is attributed and who claimed such an incumbent is attributed but 'Ali and his sons, peace be on them. If they themselves were not the Imams, the Imamate and that incumbent would be nonsense.
Therefore, we have to know that they were scholars who had no ignorance, the just persons who did not wrong people. As for justice, no one of them had the opportunity to apply it but the Commander of the Faithful, (Amir al- Mu'minin), and his matter is in no need of explanation. And as for their knowledge, their sayings and traditions denote it. So, study their knowledge and you will find that what has been reported about them is true. And this book, which is between your hands, is an extract of that abundant knowledge. 60